Human without mask
by the Icelandic sheep
Summary: A seven years old Meg is lost in the theatre, when she meets the Phantom himself... and she tells him something.


Where had her mama gone? She didn't like it there, it was a labyrinth. It was creepy in the night, the shadows were moving, ghosts of the dark. Some of the scary masks that had been made could come to life and haunt her. She hated masks. They were creepy and could eat people, swallow them. Oh, where was she? All she had meant to do was find out where her mama had gone to, she had never come to her room to read her bedtime story. Wait, there was a ladder. Maybe she could oversee the area if she climbed up! Seven year old Meg Giry started to climb with her little legs up the stairs. They were so many. Finally, she came to the top, but didn't see any better. There was a door on her right, she could try to find out if there was anything useful behind it. She walked on her toes and opened it. A cold breeze blew onto her face; this was the roof.

"At least I know where I am," she whispered to herself. The roof was big. She could practice her ballet while passing the time. Maybe her mama would find her. Yes, she or someone would find her, and she'd be alright! Meg smiled to herself and turned in circles. She could jump around and do everything she wanted on this roof! That is, until she saw something moving in a corner… and then a horrible, white half-mask staring at her!

She screamed and backed away. But too fast, and the next thing she knew was that she was falling down! For one horrible moment she thought she'd fall to the ground, but a strong hand gripped her little one in a strong grip. It was the man in the half-mask!

"Give me your other hand," he said to her. She shook her head. She was afraid of his mask, she couldn't do it. The man sighed. It was not as if he needed to hold both of her hands to pull her up, she was so small and petite. But he did need her to trust him. This was Madame Giry's daughter, he was sure of it!

"Please," he said. The girl looked between him and the ground. Finally, she flung her other hand to him and he pulled her up. She landed on top of him. After staring frightened at him for few seconds, she quickly took the mask off him and ran away. He put his hand over his right half of his face, as he didn't want it to be seen.

"Why did you take my mask?" he asked.

"Because it's scaring me!"

"My face is scarier, I can assure you, mademoiselle. Give it back to me!"

"Let me see your face," whispered Meg. She didn't know why she wanted to see it, perhaps to have another memory of her saviour than when he had the mask.

"You will have nightmares for weeks, even months. Let me have the mask back. Now. You don't want to try my patience," he said once more. Why was she insisting on seeing his face?

"No, I won't." He stared at her for a long moment. Then…

"You asked for it, _petite fille._" He removed his hand slowly from his face. Meg did not flinch.

"You look more human without your mask," she said softly. He didn't look very good, but his white mask was much worse.

"How can you say this? I am a monster that does not deserve to live. I am a nightmare to look at," he said. Little Meg shook her head. A mischievous grin appeared on her face. She motioned for him to come closer, then she whispered to him:

"Do you know who Constance is? The soprano singer that is here? She is what you call a MONSTER in the mornings!" she whispered playfully. He couldn't help but laugh a bit. But suddenly he heard footsteps run up the stairs to the roof. He grabbed Meg and hid them behind a statue.

"Meg? Where are you Meg? Meg!" was called. It was Madame Giry!

"Mama!" called Meg and ran to her mother and hugged her.

"Why did you go up here? You know how easy it is for you to get lost in this theatre, especially when there is no light around," said Madame Giry. She was going to continue when she saw something move in the shadows and Erik came forward, unmasked.

"You have a strange daughter," he said.

"I know that very well. But why do you have that opinion of her?"

"She… she said I looked more… human… without the mask. That I looked more human without it," he stammered. This was still getting through. He looked more human with the face of the monster than with a white mask. Was that possible?

"Meg is afraid of masks, she has always been. It's no wonder she thinks that every mask is inhuman," explained Madame Giry.

"But it is! His mask is all white and scary. It's almost like a skull or something!"

"She also mentioned that Constance looked more like a monster in the mornings than I do," added Erik. Madame Giry laughed out loud.

"Meg, don't say things like that in public! Keep thoughts like that for yourself or you'll get into trouble one day." Meg just giggled.

"Mademoiselle Meg, can I perhaps get my mask back now?" asked Erik. Meg looked at him.

"Promise me you won't put it back on you now. You're so scary with it," she said frightened.

"That's the whole point," he murmured to her as he took the mask.

"Come now Meg, we should go. Say goodnight to Erik. There is a new girl here, same age as you. You'll want to meet her," said Madame Giry and put her daughter down. Meg nodded.

"When will I see you again?" she asked Erik.

"You'll probably see me often, but you won't meet me. Goodnight, little Meg," he said and crouched down. Meg put her arms around his neck.

"But you really do look more human without the mask. Even if your face is a kind of strange looking," she said.

"You can't be afraid of masks for the rest of your life. They will never harm you, they are just lifeless things on people's faces. Part of their costumes," whispered Erik. She nodded slightly.

"Goodnight Erik," she said. Then she turned around and went with her mother. He looked at the mask in his hand. Was it in the blood of these two women to not be afraid of his face?

_I saw the movie, Phantom of the Opera, few days ago in TV and fell in love with the movie. Now I'm going to find out if the book is sold somewhere in Iceland! Anyway, I was just thinking of the way Meg looked at the mask in the Phantom's cave at the end of the movie. It was so… strange. And no, I've never heard of anything that she was supposed to be afraid of masks or even that she ever met him. This is just based of the movie and my imagionation!_


End file.
